Chapter 4
TAKING TIME OUT: LEARNING ON A SABBATICAL
WHAT IS IT?
A sabbatical is “a planned, strategic job pause during which an employee takes time to travel, do research, volunteer, learn a new skill, or fulfill a lifelong dream before returning to regular work” (your SABBATICAL, 2011). It is not a vacation and can be either paid or unpaid. Sabbaticals typically last from four to 10 weeks, although they can also be up to a year in duration. When we think of sabbaticals, we usually think of them in relation to academicians, because academia was where the concept was institutionalized back in 1880. But that’s not the only profession that can and should enjoy this unique type of activity.
The origin of the word sabbatical is the Hebrew Sabbath ...
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